Though taking a vested interest in where our food comes from used to simply be a way of life, these days it’s becoming more and more punk rock. Re-educating ourselves about what is and is not possible in our local environment is less of an exercise in common sense, and more about self-preservation.
Perhaps this is why the Natural History Museum of Utah’s (nhmu.utah.edu) annual Utah Food Fest has become such a celebrated local event. Two days of local food vendors, community-based workshops and hands-on learning will be once again available to the public on May 16 and 17.
The Utah Food Festival as we know it today evolved from an event hosted in 2014 called Chocolate: The Exhibition. It was here that the museum first showcased Utah’s local chocolate scene, and the event’s programming featured workshops hosted by Matt Caputo of Caputo’s Market & Deli, and a panel of local chocolatiers including representatives from Amano Chocolate, Solstice Chocolate and Chocolate Conspiracy. I remember visiting this event, and the cohesion between learning about chocolate before one indulges and enjoying it was a fascinating bedrock upon which to build a festival.
Chocolate: The Exhibition continued to evolve over the years until it eventually became the Utah Food Festival. These days, the event pulls from an even more diverse pool of local growers and food experts—and yes, chocolate is still very much on the table. As always, admission to the event includes admission to the Natural History Museum, so if it’s been a while since you’ve broadened your mind, this weekend is a good time to check back in.
In keeping with the tradition of Chocolate: The Exhibition, the Utah Food Festival does include local vendors and plenty of great things to eat and drink. Its primary function, however, is to help locals learn about the food we produce locally—and even how to produce some of that food on one’s own.
Program Coordinator Lydia Hall took a moment to discuss this year’s programming with me, and the Utah Food Fest sounds like it’s shaping up to be packed with great participants.
“This year, we’re going to be learning all about how to cook with foraged plants along the Wasatch Front, how to make the perfect cup of coffee, and we even have a workshop about how to make a perfect caramel apple,” Hall said.
As coordinator, Hall is in charge of arranging the Utah Food Festival’s workshop programming, and this year the event will feature six workshops each day of the festival. The Salted Roots host a presentation about creating a custom salt blend for one’s home cooking needs; Mountain Born Creamery will be teaching attendees how to churn their own butter; and Tea Grotto will be sharing tips about brewing loose leaf tea, along with a guided tasting session.
I also had the chance to chat with Brandy Fowers, owner of The Farmhouse At Sacco’s, who will be both operating a vendor stand and conducting workshops at the festival. This will be the first time Fowers and The Farmhouse At Sacco’s will be participating in the Utah Food Festival, and she is hoping to help people learn more about taking advantage of CSAs. “I’m mainly looking forward to educating people,” Fowers said. “If you’re not growing your own food, get the freshest food you can locally; that way, we can keep the money in our state and support the person who is most likely your neighbor.”
Those who perhaps can’t make it to this year’s Utah Food Festival should absolutely start following The Farmhouse At Sacco’s on Instagram (@farmhouse_at_saccos) for some everyday locavore tips and tricks. “We educate you on every single supplier we have, we do background checks on the people we have,” Fowers noted. “My big call to action would be to follow what the Farmhouse is doing and check out our events.”
For those who are interested and able, Hall recommends getting tickets in advance. “Workshop admission also includes admission to the festival, and it also includes admission to Bug World which is going on right now,” Hall said.
As someone who is always trying to improve my shopping and dining habits, I’ve come to appreciate events like the Utah Food Festival. With all the day-to-day chaos that seems to be piling up on our doorsteps, taking the extra time to deliberate over the food we’re eating can often fall by the wayside.
It’s frustrating for those of us who want to be a bit more responsible and sustainable to feel somehow forced into making unethical decisions. The practical tips and tricks available at the festival offer some great insights into how we can do the best we can with what we have—and it turns out that we have a lot more than we may have thought.
Dining and Cooking